Newly crowned Miss USA Cheslie Kryst was a lawyer before earning her sash & she revealed on the HollywoodLife Podcast that she is helping free inmates with excessive sentences for small crimes.

Cheslie Kryst is amazing in so many ways. She’s a lawyer by trade, a hardworking advocate for Dress For Success, and now Miss USA 2019! The former North Carolina joined the HollywoodLife podcast to talk about her year ahead representing the USA, and also discussed her career as a lawyer prior to her crowning. “My law firm has been so supportive. I’ve heard from our managing partner that they’re going to keep my office open for me, so I’m free to return after I complete my duties as Miss USA,” Cheslie explained on the podcast. It’s a good thing she’ll be able to continue her work after her reign, as Cheslie, a civil litigation lawyer by trade, is also working with her step-dad and attorney Brittany Barnett to help free prisoners with excessive sentences.

“Brittany Barnett is one of the attorneys doing a lot of the pro bono work that Kim Kardashian has supported. So if you’ve heard about Alice Johnson being released from prison, Brittany is the attorney who worked with Kim and Alice Johnson on that specific case,” Cheslie explained. “She and I are currently co-counsel on a North Carolina case that is similar to Alice’s.” She continued, “We are working with people who generally have been sentenced to excessive sentences for low level drug crimes. So, for my step dad and I, our client has been sentenced to life in prison for a low level drug crime.”

Cheslie revealed her client has been in jail for 20 years already and, due to the Three Strikes Law, he is serving out a life sentence after being caught with drugs three times. “In our case, our client wants to be rehabilitated, he wants to go out and work and he has plans to go out and work,” she explained. “The law has left him in a jail cell and deprived him of freedom. It deprives our country of somebody who wants to work and give back to society.”

She commended Kim Kardashian for her representation and support for people incarcerated for petty crimes, and is excited for her future as a lawyer. “I’m excited that she’s interested, and I’m thrilled for the work that she’s doing,” Cheslie gushed on the podcast. “It does take a long time to get your law degree and I think the legal industry is a very noble profession.”

You can listen to the full interview with Cheslie on the HollywoodLife podcast right here!